The Wolf-Woman's Tale
by Morningstar138
Summary: Ylva was a woman who had lived peacefully with her adoptive father Beorn. But her peaceful life was to change, and it was all because of a request made by a wizard whom she owed her life to... The journey she would become a part of could be described as unexpected indeed.
1. This Tale's Genesis: Part I

**~ I am going to take some liberties with this story, since I will never be able to perfectly recreate the characters and the world Tolkien imagined. ~**

**Disclaimer: Middle-Earth Enterprises has full ownership of J.R.R. Tolkien's _The Hobbit._**

**_And a final note: Name pronounciations are at the bottom. ;)_**

**I came up with this idea thinking 'Well why just bear skin changers? There ought to be different types of skin changers that Tolkien did not expound upon...hmmm...;)**

**~*THEHOBBIT*~THEHOBBIT~*THEHOBBIT*~**

Before the tale of the wolf woman there had been two wolf children. And before they had been raised by a bear man they had been born to a wolf man and a wolf woman. Due to the circumstances the couple put themselves in, they were unable to safely raise their offspring. Therefore, before the tale of the wolf woman begins, the story of the wolf man and wolf woman must be told. The tale of the wolf children and the bear man will follow after, and then the life of the wolf woman can be properly told without any misunderstandings.

Now, far south of the bear man's Carrock, unbeknownst to the majority of those living in Middle Earth, there lived a pack of wolf skin changers. They were a close-knit community and had no correspondence with the outside world beyond the other two packs whose territories bordered theirs. Each pack's name had been chosen according to their territory: The ForestKin Pack, The ValleyKin Pack, and The RiverKin Pack.

And the wolf man and wolf woman of our focus were ForestKin skin changers.

The wolf woman's name was Erebyss, and she had been the alpha female of the pack.

Being the only child of her parents, who had been the alphas since before her birth and after her maturity, it had been expected that she grow into her dominance and lead the pack once her mother and father stepped down. And while Erebyss had all the qualities of a true alpha, she could not become a leader of her people until she chose a wolf man to be her mate and alpha male of the pack, as was the law of the wolf skin changers.

As spirited and strong-willed as Erebyss was, she respected her parents' wish to help choose an alpha male for her and the pack. She had to show her parents that she did not selfishly want an alpha to suit only her, but an alpha that fit her standards and was capable of leading the pack for many years to come.

Therefore, a wedding ceremony was held a mere 5 years later to cement the alpha status of the new couple, Erebyss and her new mate Iravis.

Iravis was a handsome, muscular man and a powerful, intimidating wolf.

He stood at 7'6, a respectable height among wolf men. For wolf skin changers, as humans and as beasts, they rarely exceeded the height of a bear man; their stature most always past the normal height of men. Iravis not only had the ruggedly handsome features, but had the proportioned muscular physique that further exuded his dominant nature; not lean and not stocky, a solid middle.

As a wolf he was 8'0 at the shoulders with a large, broad head and a thick, muscular neck. His eyes were the common golden-yellow color, and his pelt was dark gray with a lighter shade on the fur of his belly, his chest, and his tail; black, pale gray, and white hairs flecked his muzzle, his ruff, and his tail. While his physical appearance was reminiscent of the typical wolf colors, it was how he carried himself with tail raised and neck arched that made him stand out as a dominant male.

What Erebyss loved about him at first glance was the man's mysterious icy-blue eyes. And over time she grew fond of his teasing and playfully challenging attitude, which he displayed as a man and as a wolf.

He was 40 years her senior, but this was not considered a big age difference among skin changers since they aged quite slowly. But there was talk of the quick union between the two; some believing that they should have waited a bit longer, and others whispering of how the early wedding may be a bad omen for the alpha family, mainly for Erebyss. This was because as an alpha female she could now lose her birthright and new title to a challenging wolf woman.

But years passed and Erebyss was rarely challenged, and those who did were quickly defeated. And the young wolf woman found it odd, since it was no secret that many of the wolf women did not disguise their attraction toward her mate. She had also seen Iravis flirting comfortably around other women, but her love for him had made her blind to what he was capable of doing behind her back.

This was because Erebyss was not a naturally jealous woman, and put her complete trust in Iravis' pledged fidelity. She was also confident in her own skin and knew she was a beautiful woman and creature. She could not help but smile whenever her alpha told her what a vision she was to gaze upon.

Iravis' leadership skills and powerful form dissuaded any male to challenge his status and win over leadership of the pack and Erebyss herself. This rule to alpha challenges was in place because they had no children; so if one alpha lost, the other alpha would remain and become the mate of their new counterpart.

A few years after their marriage, the couple began to try and have children, but Erebyss soon lost her desire to become a mother after her second miscarriage.

And over the span of nearly 10 years, Erebyss became bitter toward her mate. This was because Iravis did not mourn as she did, and did not comfort her as a husband should. Instead he would spend nights away from their cabin and then would return home with poor excuses as to his whereabouts and a desire to take her to bed for another chance at conceiving an heir as soon as possible. He did not tear his clothes, he did not express his deepest sorrow over their loss, and he did not howl with the pack when it came to the end of the mourning cycle.

With curiosity and dread, Erebyss tracked her mate one night and found Iravis in the home and arms of another wolf woman.

Unfortunately, as a female, she would have to beat her mate in an Alpha Duel if she wanted to rightfully strip him of his alpha status. And she knew she could not defeat him; as a wolf he was as quick as she, physically stronger than her, and twice as ferocious when provoked. And in an Alpha Duel, there were no restrictions; one or both alphas could die, and she knew he could kill her if he tried.

The only wolf who could surely take down Iravis was the strong and silent form of Darbin.

Darbin was well respected and was one of the wolf men who had been offered to try for Erebyss' hand and the status of pack alpha. He was the only male who had declined the opportunity, believing that his best friend Iravis deserved the chance more than he did. His loyalty to his pack mate had gone so far as to be the one who pointed out the dominant traits that Iravis shared with the golden-haired daughter of the alphas. After the marriage, he had been appointed as head guard and also became Erebyss' guardian when his friend was away.

Many believed, including Erebyss' parents, that Darbin was the perfect person to protect the alpha female when the alpha male was unavailable. This was primarily because of his nickname 'wolf-bear Darbin', since the dark-haired man was not only unusually muscular for a wolf man, but also stood at 9'0 as a man. As a wolf he was 10' feet at the shoulders, and was as black as night with steel-gray eyes.

So it was Darbin she turned to after finding out about Iravis' infidelity. While Darbin was quiet and slow to anger, she did not tell him of what his closest friend did for fear of him seriously harming or killing Iravis.

Instead she asked Darbin to train her, for while he was not as graceful and quick as she or Iravis, he was infamous for being able to win against his opponents by using their attacks against them. He did not like to win by brute force if he did not have to.

He had refused at first, telling her that she was strong enough and was already the most powerful female in their pack. But at her insistence he finally relented.

And as the months passed, Erebyss slowly began to fall in love with the silent 'wolfbear'. Their friendship grew as they not only trained but talked about their lives and witnessed the gentler sides of each other. Two whole years had passed before she finally confessed to him, no longer able to deny her yearning for him as both a companion and romantic figure in her life.

He denied her at first, unwilling to betray his friend with his own desires. And she knew he wanted her as well, for the anguish and reluctance was evident in the gray eyes she now found to be so expressive. Knowing this was what made her decide to tell Darbin of Iravis' misdeeds.

His eyes had widened in shock and flashed with anger, but what he did next she had not expected. Instead of silently leaving to track down Iravis and beat him to a pound of flesh, his now mercurial eyes searched her own blue-gray orbs for a long moment before leaning forward and capturing her lips in a powerful kiss.

Being a man of actions more so than words, she nearly collapsed against him with the knowledge of all he told her with that one kiss.

He took her to bed that night in her own home; and the two agreed to keep quiet. But not long after their coupling she found out she was pregnant.

She was both elated and fearful, and had told Darbin so as soon as she could without the suspicious gaze of Iravis searing their backs. Seeing the improved mood of his mate, and the new found closeness between Darbin and Erebyss, Iravis began to believe that he was missing something.

Time passed and by the third month Erebyss could no longer hide her growing stomach, for the gestation of a new child was six months for a wolf skin changer. and when Iravis saw he quickly put the pieces together. He publicly announced her pregnancy to the pack, following the announcement by declaring that the offspring were not his and he would challenge her to an Alpha's Duel after the birth of the pups.

'If they live.' he had hissed with a malicious grin as he had padded past her, leaving her shaking with tears full of anger and humiliation.

That night she prayed that the life or lives inside her would grow strong and would be born healthy and beautiful.

**~*THEHOBBIT*~THEHOBBIT~*THEHOBBIT*~**

It had been a big shock to the pack. Some struggled to process the information, others did not want to judge the alpha female so quickly, and a few had whispered that this was the omen that would befall the alpha lineage. And those who who resented and thought negatively of Erebyss' actions did not dare confront her with the looming presence of Darbin, who was even more protective of the golden alpha.

Darbin and Erebyss' love for each other became even further ingrained as they spent their time together all throughout her pregnancy. He doted on her as a husband should, and had called in the pack healer whenever Erebyss was in pain.

As sympathetic as she was to their situation, the healer threatened to not return to Erebyss' homestead until she was in labor if Darbin did not stop calling her in to help. Both Darbin and Erebyss had shared a laugh over her words after the young wolf woman was gone.

But not long after this incidence, Erebyss being in her fifth month at that time, the alpha female went into labor.

Erebyss' parents and Darbin waited anxiously in the living room. Darbin had closed his eyes at the sound of each groan of pain he heard in Erebyss' bedroom, wishing he could be more useful to his love during her labor pains.

Hours passed, but it was during the fourth hour when she screamed.

All three had jumped slightly, their heads jerking to let their worried and wide eyes fall on the sturdy wooden door that separated them from the woman who had screamed in such pain. Darbin had never heard Erebyss scream out so painfully, and thought that he never wanted to hear such a noise again.

But before he could process the sound further, he froze in his spot at the sound of a wail. A baby's wail. And a few minutes later a soft whimper, though with his sharp hearing it was as clear as the wail that preceded it.

It wasn't till nearly a half hour later when the healer opened the door. She looked haggard and frayed, but a weary smile lit up her tired face.

'Two girls..Erebyss wants to see you...' she spoke softly, looking at all three occupants of the room before resting her soft gaze on Darbin.

'You may go in first.' she replied, smiling as his eyes widened just a bit more. He remained frozen and stiff for a second longer before he was across the room and inside the bedroom in a few strides.

Once again he froze at the sight before him. Erebyss looked even more exhausted than the nurse, but the serenity the new mother exuded made her look even more beautiful to Darbin.

His face softened, his eyes beginning to glow with a proud love in his gaze. Erebyss looked away from the little ones to give him a smile that made his breath hitch.

'They're beautiful..aren't they?' she asked, glancing back down at the two bundles. All wolf skin changer children were proportioned to be slightly larger than children of men, but they looked to be of the perfect size to him.

He looked at the girl in Erebyss' left arm. She was quiet and already sleeping, and looked to be just a little smaller than her sister. Her silence and minimum fussiness made him think of himself and hoped he would be able to teach her the importance of her actions if she was to become as silent as he.

A movement caught his eye and he turned to the other bundle in Erebyss' right arm.

While the babe seemed calmer than she sounded earlier, he saw she still squirmed on occasion. He smiled when she let out a petulant whimper in her sleep, knowing that she would be a little fireball as a toddler. And it warmed his heart to know that he might be blessed with having fathered two daughters who would surely have different destinies.

Erebyss looked back up at him, her gaze full of peace and love; for him and their two girls.

In a few short strides he was at her bedside, lowering himself to give his love a soft kiss.

But the happiness was not to last.

When the news of the twins was received by the whole pack, Iravis came to his previous abode a week later. His eyes had flashed at the sight of the two girls, but he said nothing under the unreadable gaze of his ex-best friend. He had come to remind Erebyss of the Alpha Duel, which would be held in two weeks time.

She did not bother to hide her snarl as she told him to leave; not deigning him with a response. Iravis gave a small smirk as he turned to leave. He needed no direct answer from her anyway, he knew she would honor the challenge. For no alpha male or female would willingly choose the alternative: exile from all three packs.

Iravis, however, would not be the only person to give the couple a rude awakening.

Darbin and Erebyss were awoken in the dark of the night two days later. Darbin answered it to meet a worried and panting Deskin who hurried in under the hulking man into the living room.

The dark-haired man silently closed the door and turned to look at the young lad wringing his hands.

Just as he was actually beginning to look alert the boy blurted, "Iravis is planning to kill the pups!"

It took no time for the man's grey gaze to become steely, his silence no longer because of tiredness.

"When?" he asked the dusty-haired wolf boy, his voice measured but hard.

"Before the Alpha Duel..you have to get them out of here! Out of the territory...where Iravis and anyone who joins him will not follow." Deskin said, his voice becoming desperate with each word he spoke.

Darbin was silent for a short while, long enough to make his nephew worried.

"What are you going to do?" the young teen asked, his voice so small now in the quiet of the room.

Darbin said nothing, but as he walked past Deskin he grasped his shoulder for a moment before opening the door into his and Erebyss' bedroom.

Sensing the tension, Erebyss lifted her head and turned to look at him quietly as he closed the door softly.

"What's wrong?...Who was at the door?" she asked, concern beginning to frame her features.

He said nothing for a few moments as he walked around to stand before her side of the bed, bending down to take the smaller child into his muscular arms.

"Iravis plans to have the pups killed before the Alpha Duel." he said, his quiet voice full of steel and worry.

She was silent as she watched him cradle their child, her eyes slowly widening in horror as she processed his words with her sleep addled mind. But her horror quickly became the indignant rage of a mother who is ready to protect her pups to the death.

"He will do no such thing." she growled softly, sitting up fully and cradling their other daughter in her arms.

"You are right...we will leave tonight." he expressed as he went to their dresser, pulling out both of the leather baby bundles Erebyss' parents had given them as a gift. They were double padded and would secure the girls tightly enough to not be jostled while they were running.

"Leave?! I am not leaving like a coward.." she said, her words ending in a disgusted low growl as she glared at Darbin.

"We aren't...we are taking the pups to safety...someplace outside this territory...somewhere north..and we will return for the Alpha Duel..." he said, seemingly unperturbed by her flare of anger.

Erebyss fell silent for a short while, saying nothing as she numbly watched Darbin wrap up their younger daughter as her mother had shown them. It wasn't until he was almost finished wrapping up their other daughter that she spoke, her voice hollow with disbelief.

"You...you want us to leave our children to grow up or die in a land we know nothing of?" she asked, tears beginning to fill her eyes.

He heard the painful resignation in her voice. He knew he didn't need to say it, but he did anyway. "They will die here Erebyss...someone will kill them here.." he said, the painful realization was evident in his tone as he lifted his head to meet his love's sorrowful gaze.

"We have to make this right Erebyss...we owe it to them to take them to a place where they will have a chance at life..even if it is just a chance." he said, his voice pained but firm.

His own eyes began to fill with tears as he watched hers slide down her cheeks silently. In that shared gaze they were able to see each other's anguish at losing the two things that had brought the greatest joy in their life as a family. They could see their own sorrow at not being able to raise their little girls reflected in each other's eyes. All the anticipation of parenthood that they had felt was gone, and was replaced with the determination to fulfill the most important thing for their two little girls: to keep them both alive long enough to find a safe place for them.

With this in mind, Erebyss gave a small nod and a grim smile. She watched as Darbin grabbed the swaddled twins, one nestled in each arm, and for a moment her heart was filled with warmth again at the sight of how gently he handled his daughters. He would have been an amazing father.

She closed her arms around the daughter that was handed to her, closing her eyes in the same moment as Darbin kissed her forehead softly. She gave a pained smile, cherishing the love and promise behind that kiss before he took her arm to help her stand.

With their decision set, they both opened the door and walked into their living and kitchen quarters.

Erebyss smiled as she saw that Deskin was still there, his soft brown eyes still worried as he looked at the two babes that still slept soundly.

"Deskin..if any of the pack asks where we have gone, tell them we have left to train. And that we took the children with us so that Erebyss may be with them as much as possible before the Duel. We will try our hardest to be back before the Alpha Duel...now..say good-bye to your cousins." he gave a small smile at his final words. His eyes softened in bleak amusement as Deskin took a few tentative steps closer to the two wolf children, the young boy looking worried thats they would break if he touched them. But he looked at both before giving a bright smile, "I love you both...and wish you both good hunting and I hope the stars will watch over you." he whispered, glancing up at Darbin and Erebyss with his final words.

"Thank you Deskin." Erebyss murmured as she bent down to press a soft kiss to the wolf boy's forehead. The young lad turned his head, letting out a soft 'oomph' as Darbin crushed him into a one-armed hug. After a moment Deskin returned the hug, trying not to cry before he was pulled away.

Darbin let a smile grace his face as he looked into his nephew's glassy eyes. "We will return." he assured the boy, letting a large hand encompass the lad's skull as he ruffled his hair. Then without a word both wolf man and wolf woman walked out the door and into the dark.

Deskin waited a few moments, giving a quavering smile before turning sharply around. As painful as it was to watch the large black wolf and the smaller golden one lope away, with the end of the wraps securing each twin held firmly in their jaws, he knew they would both do everything they could to return in time for the Alpha Duel. He winced at the thought, realizing that by returning Erebyss could be coming back to meet certain death once more. But just as Iravis knew, Deskin also knew that she would try her hardest to meet the alpha male's challenge. Deskin also believed that Darbin would still train her and support her, because they were the two most honorable skin changers he had ever met.

**~*THEHOBBIT*~THEHOBBIT~*THEHOBBIT*~**

**Wowwww...I can't believe I did this..been up all night and this thing isn't even polished...but eh..I can go back and edit whenever. Pshhh! Haha!**

**And sorry about the absence of Hobbit characters..but the 2nd and 3rd Chapters will have Gandalf, Radagast, and Beorn! I think I will probably go with the personality movie!Beorn portrays, with some dashes of book!Beorn when he is raising the two girls.**

**But anywayyyy...let me know what you think! Any suggestions (no flames) and constructive criticism are welcome! And I will answer any questions that you may have about anything concerning this first chapter; but some I may end up answering with the second chapter. ;)**

**My question for this chapter: What did you think of Erebyss and Darbin? Iravis? Oh yes! Here are how you pronounce the names.**

_**Er = 'er' sounds like the 'err' in error. ebyss = sounds like 'eh-biss'**_

_**Dar = rhymes with 'car'. bin = sounds just how it looks ;)**_

_**Ir = pronounced 'eer'. avis = sounds like the ending in the name 'Travis'**_

_**Des = rhymes with 'chess'. kin = rhymes with 'pin'**_


	2. This Tale's Genesis: Part II

**~ Alright! Finally getting another chapter up! Sorry everyone, life got busy for awhile there. X/**

** Thank you to all who reviewed: killthepain62, Dare queen, Marina Oakenshield, skinnylove2625, and Illusive. And I am also very grateful to those who have followed and put this story on their favorites list. ~**

**I know that reviews are very important to FanFiction authors, myself included, but I find favorites to be just as important to the success of a story. And you guys who favorite and review will be the ones to make this story successful. Not me, I just write the chapters and be forever grateful to you all. XD So thank you again. :)**

**Disclaimer: Middle-Earth Enterprises has full ownership of J.R.R. Tolkien's _The Hobbit._**

**_Now that I have done further research, I can confirm that the wolf skin-changers of my story reside in the land of Far Harad. Since this is the time period of the Third Age and in the time period of when The Hobbit tale occurs, I will say that the men described to reside there were kept out of the majority of available land by the skin-changers. I guess I take that idea from how Gandalf believes that Beorn, as a skin changer, is a descendant from the first men who settled basically in the beginning period of Middle-Earth. Therefore, the wolf skin-changers' presence in Far Harad preceded the people of Harad. The wolf skin changers call this land Jisgirid instead of Harad. (pronounced 'yis-geer-id') What does it mean? I don't know. Thought of it on the fly and I think it sounds cool..so there. XD Oh and the second river that they will be crossing over is not named on the maps, and neither is the bridge that goes over the river and into Harandor. It is the only river with a man-made crossing that the wolf skin changers are familiar with. This is because their kind had to cross the river to get into the land of Jisgirid. And even though wolf skin changers rarely leave their respective territory, let alone venture deep into the land of Near Harad, the name of the river is still spoken with reverence: The River of Mindin, or the Mindin River (rhymes with 'Rin-Tin-Tin'). It was named after the first skin-changer that crossed (leaped) over the river. The first river they will be crossing, that separates Near Harad from Far Harad, has a name; but I can't read it on the map. And since this area is mostly empty of men, the skin changers only know of it as the Ungris River (pronounced 'Oong-ris': 'ris' rhymes with the name Chris)._**

**_And for those who like to study maps and understand the distance traveled, the territory of the ForestKin pack is in the northernmost part of Far Harad and closest to Gondor. They are also very close to Near Harad. Out of the three packs, they have interacted with men the most over the years (in a mostly treeless, desert-like environment, a thick forest range would be considered a godsend); though the myths and horror stories told by the few men that have settled around or near ForestKin territory have kept most people from venturing in. Because those that have gone in don't return. Wolf skin changers do not seek out violence, but they don't want the possibility of men trying to impede upon their land again. ;)_**

**_Yes I know the distance that Erebyss and Darbin are going to travel (from Far Harad to Beorn's Carrock) is longer than the distance that the Company took from The Shire to Erebor (it took them nearly a year). This couple, however, have many advantages that the dwarfs do not have (enhanced wolf form, smaller numbers, better stamina, no mountain crossings), and are on a far stricter schedule; hardly any time to stop and relax. But the couple also has their own disadvantages, which will be acknowledged in this chapter._**

**_The ValleyKin are located further south and are the furthest away from civilization of any kind. They are the most trusting of the three packs. The RiverKin pack is to the east of the ForestKin territory and its northern border is just a smidge lower than the the ForestKin's northern border, but is directly south of the Mountains of the East._**

**_I also cannot emphasize enough that these skin-changers are very isolated, they know little to nothing of what has happened up North beyond the fact that elves, dwarves, trolls, orcs, goblins (yes I am choosing to make orcs and goblins separate species as Peter Jackson did for his films), men, and other races inhabit the land. They have a vague idea of what each race is supposed to look like (passed on as stories from one generation to the next), and have the most knowledge about men and their nature. Another consequence is that they live pretty primitive lives...well, primitive in the sense of hides for clothing, crude log shelters, etc._**

**_Our main character is also close in age to Fili and Kili, so I have decided that she will be born in TA 2861..which is the year this chapter takes place in. This will make her 80 in TA 2941, which is incredibly young for a skin-changer in my story._**

**_I hope by now you have an idea of how meticulous and thorough I am (I end up being my own BETA sometimes). XD I often find it to be my own downfall. I am trying to make my species fit in with Tolkien's world as well as possible, but since this is a fanfic...it will not fully comply with what Tolkien has written. And that's okay! I think...;)_**

**_There is a method to my madness! I also thought you might like to have an idea as to how my mind works when I am writing. Because I seem to have so many details that cannot fit into this chapter, but I still think need to be mentioned. XP_**

**~*THEHOBBIT*~THEHOBBIT~*THEHOBBIT*~**

By the time they had reached the Mindin River, almost 24 hours had passed. They knew this by determining the moon's position in the sky.

They had only stopped once to feed the pups, which had been in the afternoon after crossing the Ungris River. Both had agreed that they would not feel safe until they were out of the ForestKin territory and were in the part of Jisgirid where men called the land Near Harad.

The girls were coaxed into their wolf forms so they could nurse without having Erebyss return to her human form. Darbin had been unsure about them being able to skin-change at such an early age, but Erebyss expressed a gentle confidence that he could not argue against.

As she nursed them, she told him of how her Alpha blood ensured a faster rate of development than in normal pups. And since these pups were born as human babes, she had correctly assumed they would skin-change sooner since they were already accustomed to their human form.

Most Alpha pairs that had offspring would almost always mate as wolves in order to give birth to wolf pups; believing that when they are born as wolflings, they would grow to be stronger than the skin-changers who had been born as human children. This often helped secure the Alpha's bloodline to remain in the Alpha position, since wolf-born skin-changers of Alphas commonly displayed an aptitude for physically and diplomatically leading the pack. But unlike human-born skin-changers, those who were wolf-born took longer to skin-change. It took babies at least two weeks two skin-change into wolflings, while wolf pups often functioned in that form for nearly twice the amount of time before attempting to skin-change. Knowing this information was what lead Erebyss to believe her pups would be able to skin-change earlier than most offspring.

Once he saw that the pups were suckling without any problems, Darbin told her he would go and find them something to eat before starting off again. Fortunately, nursing the pups had only taken around five minutes. The pups, however, had a voracious appetite because they had had their last meal the night before. It had been their older daughter's loud wailing that had ultimately caused them to stop.

After the pups were full and sleeping against her soft fur, Erebyss waited for another twenty minutes before Darbin returned. They both ate their fill of the two antelope that he had caught before re-wrapping the pups. Darbin told Erebyss of the continuous, grassy-desert landscape he had seen while they swaddled the little girls. They both agreed that they would follow the man-trodden road up until it connected with the road that would lead them over the Mindin River.

With sparse bathroom breaks throughout the day of traveling for both parents and pups, and another nursing and dinner break, they finally reached the Mindin River's man-made bridge by midnight. Fortunately, there was enough foliage along the river and on the sides of the road closest to the river for them to hide in. Erebyss and Darbin knew that even with the minuscule population of man in the land if Jisgirid, there was always a chance of travelers using the dusty road at any time of day. The two wanted to use the road to walk safely across, because even though the river was narrow enough for a wolf skin-changer to leap over, neither parent wanted to risk jostling the newborns unnecessarily.

Darbin darted out of the foliage first and crossed the bridge on silent paws, his black pelt blending in well with the night. Erebyss followed shortly after at a quick lope. She stopped at his side, following his gaze to look at the barren landscape that lay before them.

"Follow the road?" she asked after a few more moments of uninterrupted silence. The swaddled pups were sound asleep in their leather wraps.

"Yes." he answered after he let the question hang in the air for a few seconds after she spoke. They both knew her question had been rhetorical, but they both took comfort in having a concrete direction to take.

They set off at a run once more, not stopping again until they reached the bridge of the Poros River. Now, all of the following names that will be given of the places that Darbin and Erebyss will pass by are not known as such to the two. The territory was completely new to them. They only knew of the worn road that they hoped would lead them to a safe haven for their daughters.

Unfortunately, this makes them blind to the many dangers that lay in wait for them; dangers that could become obstacles on their journey. It was also early morning by the time they reached this river, meaning there was a higher possibility of people traveling on the worn path. Therefore, their stop was brief before they passed over the cobblestone bridge. With little vegetation around the bridge and river to cover their massive forms, they were fairly visible to the naked eye. But it was the stretch of tall trees in the distance that drove them onward.

Before they entered the forest of Ithilien, Erebyss slowed to a halt. No longer sensing her by his side, Darbin slowed his pace to fluidly turn and look at her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, not wanting them to delay if they could help it.

"I don't like it here...something is off...listen.." she replied, her eyes narrowing in worry as she turned her head to the west. After a heavy pause she did the same toward the east.

"I don't hear anything." Darbin said quietly, more alert now than before Erebyss spoke to him.

"Exactly...there is no noise...no sound..it's eerie.." she ended with a concerned growl, her ears flattening against her broad golden head.

Silence reigned as he tried to listen for any possible sound or a slight rustle of movement. But there was nothing. And they had no way of knowing that Ithilien's population had been driven out by Orcs years ago, or how they were being watched at this very moment.

"Let's continue on then, for this is not a place where our children would be able to safely thrive." he spoke firmly, taking a few more steps to stand before his love.

She slowly looked up to gaze at him quietly, her honey-amber eyes expressing all he needed to know. He turned to lope quietly into the woods, with her following just as silently after him.

**~*THEHOBBIT*~THEHOBBIT~*THEHOBBIT*~**

The two orcs looked on from one of Mordor's peaks. They had spotted the couple shortly before they had passed the Poros River. For even though the hideous creatures were quite high, the large forms of the two wolves made them easy to spot from a distance.

"Never seen a wolf that large before!" squeaked one orc. Between the two he was by far the most disturbing to gaze upon. His nose was horribly crooked and he had a hunched back with odd protrusions sticking out of it. He only wore a large coat to cover his upper body, because he had ripped any article of clothing that he had tried to pull over his torso.

"They look larger than wargs..." muttered the second. While still a disgusting creature to behold, this orc did not have the disfigured back of his partner. His beady eyes were zeroed in solely on the black wolf.

"Should we tell King Azog?" the first one asked, tearing his eyes away to look excitedly at his compatriot. After scaring off the population in Ithilien, the orcs and goblins had found little to satiate their blood-lust. The wildlife on their side of the river Anduin had fled, leaving only the occasional insect.

"Yes...this will certainly interest him." the second responded with a grotesque grin, watching the two moving figures before turning away and heading down from where they had come. The bulkier orc followed after, all the while thinking of how such flesh would taste on his tongue.

**~*THEHOBBIT*~THEHOBBIT~*THEHOBBIT*~**

They stayed on the side of Mordor, following the path with the mountains ever present to their right. At one point, Erebyss ended up feeding their daughters on an empty stomach. This was because Erebyss and Darbin gave each other their own separate days of rest. This started at the end of the first day, after they haad left the forest of Ithilien far behind them. Erebyss had slept for mostly all of the second day, not even waking to her daughters nursing against her stomach as she continued to sleep. While she slept, Darbin watched over his two girls. But when he had tried to wake Erebyss and ask her to watch the pups so that he may hunt, she all but snarled that he dare not leave her alone with the pups in a place that made them so disquieted. He relented and continued to keep guard as his love slept.

When Erebyss had opened her eyes to a new morning, she offered to try and find food for them to eat before he slept. Having a feeling she would not be able to find prey nearby, she crossed the river a short distance to the left of their spot.

She returned a half hour later with the necks of two stags in her jaws.

"Erebyss, come look." Darbin called, his voice gentle and his gaze remaining on his two pups.

She padded over to him after setting down the deer, "What is it?" she asked, looking down at the wolflings. Her breath hitched, however, when one of her daughters lifted her head to look blearily up at her. They were still a bit cloudy, but were distinctly a dark green.

"We've been travelling so hard that we missed their eyes opening..." she whispered, her tone full of disappointment.

"But we are seeing them now..look." Darbin said comfortingly before lifting his neck a bit straighter, letting out a soft chuff. The other she-pup looked up at the sound, and Erebyss found herself gaping at her older daughter's sharp, baby blue eyes. Her gaze did not seem to hold the fogginess of her younger sister, but held the wide-eyed look of any baby whose eyes were getting stronger.

"So beautiful..." she murmured, lowering her neck to gently nose the little one's cheek before turning to gently lick her other daughter's cheek.

Darbin said nothing for a short time as he watched Erebyss interact with their pups. Their pups...the thought certainly warmed his heart, his eyes soft and full of love. But remembering the time constraint they had for this journey, he reluctantly got to his paws and turned away to focus on eating his stag. After doing so he curled up near the remaining stag and fell into a deep sleep.

Erebyss ate her share, fed her daughters, and kept watch while Darbin slept. When Darbin awoke, he lifted his head to be met with a golden-brown wolf sound asleep beside him. He could not fault her for sleeping, seeing as the pups were also fast asleep against her stomach; her tail partially covering their small forms. He gave them a small smile before it disappeared, his head swiveling left and right to be sure they were safe. The eerie sense of being watched was still there, but it felt no different than it had the previous day.

"Erebyss..Erebyss." he said softly, nudging her awake.

She lifted her head sharply, looking around with oddly alert eyes before they rested on a pair of silver orbs watching her with quiet amusement. She narrowed her eyes at him before growling, "You swaddle the pups."

She gently nosed the little wolflings awake and nursed them before slowly getting to her paws. "I will be back." she assured him, turning away to head across the great river.

He gave a deep chuckle at his love's feisty attitude, before opening his eyes to be met with two wide-eyed gazes. He blinked, shocked still at the intensity in those tiny eyes. Slowly he changed into his human form, their eyes never widening or lessening.

"You two are too cute." he mumbled with a smile tugging at his lips as he opened the pack hanging loosely over his chest.

The front packs he and Erebyss wore were made of deer hides. And the toggle that helped close the lip of the pack was the small, pointed end of a deer tine. The point, however, was blunted so that the wearer would not cut their finger when opening the pack.

Once a wolf skin-changer reaches maturity, they were given a front pack. They would go to the hide-maker, have their wolf form and human form measured, and would often receive the finished product the following week. The pack itself was always made large enough to cover the skin-changer's chest, with enough room to put clothes and any other necessities. The straps were also made adjustable for those who preferred to use it in human form, but this feature was rarely used. The front pack was intended mainly for the skin-changer's wolf form.

Darbin's front pack was the largest of its make, as the ForestKin's leather-maker had told him when he had presented the carrying rucksack to the large black wolf. And this was why he held not only a change of clothes, but the twins' leather wraps. And seeing as he would be a wolf again soon, he did not bother to put on his change of clothes. Instead he remained in the nude, swaddling both daughters before shifting into his wolf form.

Erebyss returned shortly after he finished, with one deer this time. She took her share of the meal before he did, both still sticking to pack hierarchy. When Darbin finished, they found there was still a bit of meat on the carcass. They didn't think too much of it as they left at a walk, not realizing how there were no carrion birds squawking their arrival.

The land was still eerily silent. And if they had returned to their spot hours later, they would have found the carcasses gone.

**~*THEHOBBIT*~THEHOBBIT~*THEHOBBIT*~**

The orcs did not descend upon Erebyss and Darbin until after they passed Minas Tirith.

The couple was running at a steady pace and continued to follow the Harad road, staying on the left side.

They did not see or scent the orcs till it was too late.

"Darbin! Do you smell-" she called, her voice breaking off into a muffled yelp as a dark arrow embedded itself into her right shoulder. The arrow had been shot from behind. And while the angle prevented a pierced lung, the pain coming from all the torn muscles in her shoulder was nearly blinding.

Darbin slowed to a stop and turned to look at his love with concern in his eyes before they flashed into the woods, spotting a band of orcs heading straight for them. His eyes widened, before the rest of his face contorted into an ugly snarl.

"Here...take her." Erebyss growled, stopping any thoughts Darbin had of charging the orcs head-on. He looked down at her to see the grimness and fury of a protective mother in her gray-blue eyes.

"You have to protect them...I can't carry either of them if we try and outrun them." she sighed, answering the silent question in his steely gaze. Another arrow zoomed by, grazing her right hindquarter.

"Run." she snarled, the tone in her voice expressing finality and authority. Under different circumstances, he would have ignored her order and killed each of the hulking creatures for her. But they had two wolflings to consider, and he could not simply hide them now when they have already been seen by the enemy.

She turned, her angry features directed at the orcs as they continued to close the distance. She could see one of them was readying another arrow and her eyes narrowed.

"I love you Erebyss.." came the broken and uncertain voice of Darbin, gazing at her with both love and distress. Her eyes widened slightly, saying nothing as she heard his pawsteps quickly receding. Her eyes refocused and she snarled, her sharp fangs making themselves known to the ugly humanoids. She had no time to think about her impending death. And with that she leaped forward, darting to avoid the next arrow that was launched at her.

She could not help the wince and heavy falter in her step as she put weight on her right leg. Regaining her footing and ridding her mind of the pain, she ran forward again. The distance quickly deteriorated between the skin-changer and the orc pack, and the orcs were quickly realizing how large this golden wolf really was. Being nearly 8'0 feet at the shoulders, she easily towered over all of them. Closing the distance between herself and the first orc, she lunged forward, staying low to the ground in order to sink her fangs into its skull. With a jerk of her neck the head was ripped off the orc's body, blood squirting and then oozing as the body fell to the ground. Fortunately, this orc had been the archer and it looked to her that he was the only archer of this contingent.

With the practiced movements of a skilled fighter, Erebyss dispatched each orc. She decapitated, crushed skulls and bodies with her jaws, and slammed their bodies against trees. Erebyss was not, however, without wounds. Her left side had a diagonal slash from a scimitar that was beginning to bleed more heavily now that she had a chance to breathe. She glanced down at the fang marks of one of the orcs that had bit her right hind leg. She had not noticed till now since she had been more focused on slamming an orc against a tree at the time.

She then looked toward the direction where Darbin had run off to. Feeling that she should let him know she was alive, she let loose a powerful, authoritative howl.

When she finished, she gave an agonized smile.

She began to follow the road once more at a limping gait before another howl hit her ears, responding to her. She slowed to a stop, an involuntary shudder running through her. That was no ordinary wolf howl, something was off about the notes she heard in that voice. She slowly lifted her head up to the mountains, her eyes widening in horror at the sight of a group of wargs with riders sitting on some of them. Erebyss ran as soon as she saw them beginning to descend the mountain.

Handling humanoid creatures was one thing, but taking out a pack of wolf-like animals who were capable of being ridden was a whole other issue. Especially considering the state she was in now, she did not feel confident facing off against a pack of animals that could gang up on her.

She didn't dare look back and ran as hard as she could, her pace gradually increasing as miles began to fly past her. Fortunately, her current fear and renewed adrenaline helped reduce the pain in her shoulder to only a sharp twinge whenever she put weight on it.

Making sure nobody was coming up on the road, she ran over it and onto the side closest to the mountains. Up ahead were the Dead Marshes. And seeing how muddy, water-logged, and misty it was, Erebyss knew she would be bogged down and lose her life in the unforgiving-looking environment.

Once she was in Dagorlad, she let her left eye flicker to the corner to look behind her.

With the land barren of all large foliage, she was able to at least glance back without worrying about running into something. But the moment she looked back she really wished she hadn't.

This was because even at a flat-out run, the beasts were still visible and looked to be slowly gaining. A whimper escaped her throat, but she refused to lessen her pace. Doing so would make her adrenaline disappear, and would leave her exhausted and ready to be picked off by the foul-looking animals.

She looked forward again and nearly tripped over herself in shock. For a few miles ahead of her, she was able to make out the loping black form of Darbin. But her heart began to clench as she saw two smaller shapes following steadily after him.

With only one thought in mind, the skin-changer lifted her head slightly and let loose a howl that signaled her authority and a challenge. Two of the wargs behind her let loose their own howls in response, but Erebyss ignored them.

Realizing that the two wargs ahead were ignoring her call, she closed her eyes. And with a surge of burning muscle and desperation, she ran even faster. Fortunately, Darbin looked like he was keeping a steady pace ahead of the two wargs. But when she was nearly a mile away from them, she let loose another howl; louder, fiercer, and more powerful than before.

This time one of the wargs slowed to a stop, slowly turning around to face Erebyss. Its pelt looked to be a sickly white, and as Erebyss drew closer, she realized that this creature was not a wolf. Its face was far too contorted, but its beady eyes were watching her with a sharpness that surprised the skin-changer.

The warg lifted its head and answered Erebyss' challenge with a howl of its own before beginning to run toward her.

Erebyss was able to gauge the beast's Alpha status based on what was communicated in the howl. The only relief she felt came from seeing the other warg abandon the chase of the massive black wolf to follow after its leader.

Drawing closer, she also took note of the orc riding on the warg's back. The humanoid looked confident, not at all bothered that his mount seemed to be taking charge at the moment. In fact, he looked as if he was preparing to attack her with a mace. It was a weapon she had never seen before, but the bulk and sharpness of the object instilled momentary panic all the same.

Fortunately, the warg leaped before she could strategize. The creature seemed to have gauged her height and decided to launch herself at Erebyss' jugular.

The skin-changer snarled as she lowered herself enough to be beneath the leaping white warg before lunging up, her forehead smashing against the canine's throat and her left shoulder slamming into its chest.

With a strangled cry that made Erebyss cringe, the warg flew back, the rider leaping off just before the beast crashed to the ground. The rider did not seem to bothered by the unseating, his mace held firmly in his hand and his eyes glittering with ill intent. Erebyss' eyes narrowed when he spoke. She was unable to understand him, but his tone sounded curious. Sadistically curious. Erebyss growled loudly as he drew closer, her focus more on the rider and the recovering white warg than the ones who had been following her.

She looked to the right, and spotting the approaching warg that had been chasing Darbin. She gave a hoarse bark before darting toward the beast. With the quickness of a fish, she lashed out and locked her jaws over the warg's broad muzzle. Her proportionately large body was what primarily helped her maintain her grip as her neck surged forward, smashing the warg's face into the ground. With no rider and significantly shorter fur than a wolf skin-changer, killing it off after stunning the beast was easier than expected.

Erebyss, however, had no time to react when the white warg latched onto her left hind leg. She released a loud yelp as those powerful warg jaws easily crushed the bones in her leg, locking her in place. Without much thought, her body twisted madly in order to try and snap at her captor.

Within those few seconds, however, Erebyss found herself jerking back with a cry from the arrow that had just lodged itself into the side of her neck. Two more arrows followed, one piercing her chest and the other puncturing the side of her throat.

With her adrenaline dying down and the pain increasing tenfold, Erebyss was able to think clearly and see that these moments were her last. Drawing up all the pain, love, and urgency in her heart, the Alpha female released her final howl to Darbin. That howl held everything she would have said to him as a final goodbye, and she knew he would be able to understand what she was trying to convey.

**~*THEHOBBIT*~THEHOBBIT~*THEHOBBIT*~**

Since skin-changer howls had a far range, Darbin had heard it. And he had stopped short, his heart freezing at the implications he heard in that howl.

He had never given too much thought concerning the possibility of one or both of them dying in unknown land. He knew Erebyss hadn't either, they had both been too concerned with finding a place safe enough for their young. His heart, however, was growing weaker with the understanding that he would have to try and live without Erebyss. Someone he had grown to love, someone who had loved him, and someone who had given him offspring who he hoped would grow to be as beautiful and strong-willed as their mother.

Without noticing it, a tear strayed out of his eye to make a thick, wet track onto his cheek fur. The twins had heard the howl as well and let out loud whimpers. The distressed notes in their mother's voice had made them unhappy and they began to whimper and whine. He glanced down at the two, his now stormy-gray eyes unreadable before staring off into the distance once more.

A short while later he finally turned away, knowing that he had to keep going till he was far away from the scene. Thankfully, by the time the howl had sounded, he was already out of The Brown Lands and was at the edge of Mirkwood.

He turned and began to run once more, his mind numb at the thought of Erebyss' death. His heart, however, ached in a way that could never be properly described.

The skin-changer ran on and on, stopping only to use the dirt around him. The pups whined uncomfortably in the wraps, and eventually Darbin stopped to let them both crawl and waddle around on their thick legs. But it wasn't long before Darbin was re-wrapping both girls and on his way, unable to handle sitting still any longer.

Darbin finally caught sight of the Carrock the next afternoon. It was almost sunset, and the sunlight was hitting the jutting rock in such a way that it looked to be outlined in light.

Considering this a sign, Darbin ran faster. He knew the Carrock would be where he would leave the pups, it had to be. By the time he reached the bottom of the Carrock, it was nightfall.

Spotting the steps that led to the top of the stony outcrop, Darbin let out a sigh of relief as he began to climb them. Seeing the steps assured him that somebody frequented this place, and it was likely that someone would surely come across and help these pups. The size of the steps also assured him that the humanoid creatures were not the builders of the stone path.

Once he reached the top, he was able to distinguish a scent that was odd but also familiar. He snuffed the air once more after he set the pups down. His eyes widened when he recognized the skin-changer scent and gave a small smile. His exhaustion prevented him analyzing the scent further. He returned to his human form in order to unwrap the pups. He placed the leather cloths inside his front pack. Once done, he returned to his wolf form and settled down beside his two daughters.

Knowing that his pups would be safe and that the journey was complete, he allowed himself to think.

But thinking took the smile off his face, took away his relaxation and replaced it with a shuddering pain. He lowered his head, closed his eyes, and clenched his teeth.

How could he return to the pack without their Alpha? How could he return only to tell them she was dead. He would have to explain what they had actually done, and it would mean Deskin could be in danger as well. Especially with Iravis as the current Alpha. And what would her parents say? Would they blame him? It was highly possible that he could be driven out if he returned to the pack. Or he could challenge Iravis and win, becoming the pack's new Alpha. But he had a feeling many would not take that too well, and thought didn't encourage him. He did not want to be Alpha if Erebyss could not lead beside him.

And it was the thought of his golden she-wolf that finally brought him to tears. His heavy black ruff shook as he mourned silently. "Why did you die? Why did you leave?" he whispered brokenly.

"You had a pack to lead, parents who loved you, pups who needed you to see this journey through..." he growled softly, his claws scraping against the rock.

"And I still need you..." he spoke, his voice more clear this time but no less broken.

A pair of paws pushed against his nose, and he opened his silver-gray eyes to be met with baby blues. His eyes widened slowly, watching the the pure white pup stare up at him inquisitively. He let his eyes travel down to where the other pup had fallen over his right paw, having tried and failed to climb over it to the other side. And now his little daughter was also staring up at him, her dark green eyes now as clear as her sister's. What struck him, however, was the golden pelt that she wore as her wolf skin. He had never truly thought about it during their travels, but he knew now that she would grow to look as beautiful as her mother. They both would.

A few more tears streaked down his face with the realization that these two skin-changers were their legacy. He gave a shaky smile, lowering his broad black head so that the white one's paws now rested against the side of his face. He gently rubbed his wet cheek against his other daughter's body, releasing a tearful smile at her responding keen. "I love you both so much." he said, nearly choking on his saddened tears.

He had to leave soon. He could not stay and impede on the territory of another skin-changer. And he knew he could not raise the pups on in his own in a land he knew nothing of.

Darbin slowly got to his paws, taking in the view that he Carrock provided. He took a deep breathed and let loose a howl that could be heard from as far as Mirkwood.

The twins began to whimper and whine when he finished, confused by how the voice seemed to be a call for help.

"I will always love both of you, no matter what. I pray you stay safe and that the stars guide you to your destinies." he whispered, looking down at them with a sad smile. He lowered his neck to lick their foreheads and nuzzle their cheeks one last time.

After saying his goodbyes, he slowly turned away and disappeared down the side of the Carrock where the steps were. Once he reached solid ground, he took off at a run. He was heading back to The Brown Lands, hoping to find a body he could properly bury. Darbin hoped that the orcs had left her body there, for it was the only cause he could think of fulfilling now. And if she was not there, then he would surely track down and behead the orcs and wargs that had taken her life.

Unfortunately, this is where the story of the wolf man and wolf woman ends. But now that the first story had been told, we can move onto the story of the bear man and his wolf children.

And this story will begin with the Gray Wizard, whom many are quite familiar with, reaching the top of the Carrock to be met with the crawling and whining forms of the two pups our wolf man had to leave behind.

**~*THEHOBBIT*~THEHOBBIT~*THEHOBBIT*~**

**You know, in the end I am not completely satisfied with this chapter. I know I'm acting like every other writer who posts a new chapter, but I feel like it could have been written better... Eh. I will probably revise this chapter at some point...but what do you all think?! I admit to having a 'feels' moment when writing Darbin at the end.**

**And I decided to leave Darbin's fate unknown...for reasons I can't really think about at the moment. XD Seriously brain dead now.**

**I know I said in the previous chapter that Gandalf, Radagast, and Beorn would make their appearances in this chapter, but that didn't seem to work out. I don't think Erebyss and Darbin wanted the second story to officially begin in this chapter... Oh well! Rest assured, all three will be in the next chapter.**

**Here is a short list of songs I listened to while writing this chapter. And most, if not all, are instrumental. One Family - Tarzan Soundtrack, The Long Road Back - Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron Soundtrack, They're All Gone - Dinosaur Soundtrack, Neera Rescues the Orphans - Dinosaur Soundtrack, To Die For (Uncut) - Lion King Soundtrack, Raptors/Stand Together - Dinosaur.**

**I will try to get Chapter 3 up in a more timely matter. That is my ultimate goal. :)**

**I shall leave you all now to eat some of those addicting Cutie oranges. Sooo good. :D**


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